Even just one DUI can alter a person’s life for a very long time. In many states, if you’ve previously been convicted of DUI, penalties are stiffer when convicted of another DUI. Yet, what happens if you’ve been convicted of ten DUIs?
After pleading guilty to his 10th DUI offense, a Weatherford, Texas man has been sentenced to life in prison.
As he handed down the sentence last Wednesday, District Judge Craig Towson remarked that 62-year old Ivy Ray Eberhardt was “a second away from hurting someone really badly.”
Weatherford police responded to a call about a man driving recklessly on U.S. 180 and witnessed Eberhardt swerving and driving in the wrong lane back in April of 2014. After pulling Eberhardt over, police say that he admitted to consuming most of a 750 mL bottle of whiskey that had been found in his car.
Jeff Swain, the Assistant District Attorney handling the prosecution stated it was only just now being completed because Eberhardt had to finish a similar sentence in Colorado.
According the the ADA, Eberhardt, “Cut off his electric monitor, skipped bond and fled to Colorado where he was arrested for yet another DWI offense.”
This isn’t even the second DUI offense for Eberhardt. Court records indicate that Eberhardt had been convicted four times throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He has spent time in jail in Parker, Tarrant, and Runnels counties, all for charges of DWI.
Eberhardt will be eligible for parole 15 years from the date of his sentence. However, he can achieve that faster by earning good conduct credit.
If you or someone that you know has been charged with DUI, it is important to get representation for your day in court. Our attorneys are all experienced with DUI charges and can help you. Contact us today.
